The Positive Pet Project

22/03/2024

On Wednesday morning the 20th March 2024 Caedmon Foy (58) passed away in the palliative care ward in the Prince Charles Hospital. We were together sitting calmly and quietly listening to music and I was going through photos and videos of our life and adventures together. This has always been one of our favourite pastimes. He had said his goodbyes to his closest who he considered his family and was ready to leave this world. His wishes were that it was he and I in the end.
I will always be thankful for the 30+ years we got together however short they now seem.
Patricia Bevan (his mother) was his first love and he was always so grateful for all she had done for him throughout his life. Teagan Shayla was his greatest achievement. He was the most beautiful father and felt so very privileged to be apart of her discovery of who she is. He was always in awe that he was part of her.
Caedmon’s family always knew he loved us.
Caedmon loved his poker and his poker friends. He loved music, his Mercedes and he loved his dog Dee Dee. He was a kind and generous man who made people feel seen and let them know how he felt about them. Caedmon was proud of the work we did with people and their animals and especially therapy dogs and animal assisted therapy. He left this world a better place. He was very content with the life he had lived and talked constantly of how wonderful his life had been to nurses and doctors over the last few weeks.
Our family knows that many are feeling the loss of him and we understand people’s need to grieve. Caedmon’s wishes were to not have a funeral or memorial and we are honouring those wishes. What we hope is that you will all find a small act to acknowledge what he meant to you. He truely understood and believed that the small acts were what really made a difference.
Thank you to our extended family who have been our strength and support since diagnosis. Caedmon was so very grateful and we would never have been able to do this without you - Kate Joseph,Nathan Morris, Johnny Bee,Anna Morris, Kirri de Marco, Steve Faoagali,Andrew Barr, Jeff Seddon,Mark Conaghan

29/01/2024

Dog socialisation is something that many people get confused about. Often many things like meeting all other dogs and people and going to dog parks actually hinder appropriate socialisation and either overwhelm or over excite our dogs causing continued problems later in life.

14/11/2023

Another Positive Pet Project Super Star ⭐️ Go Moxie!

28/08/2023

Hanging out with dogs you know and like is always more fun than hanging out with randoms 😊🐶

29/04/2023

Great article explaining why the ban on shock collars is coming into place in England and why we should be following suit.

Why a ban on shock collars is good for dogs’ welfare.

25/04/2023

There is always a reason for behaviour. It’s so very important to work out what is happening for our dogs 🐶♥️

21/03/2023

This gorgeous young girl is Jedda 💙 Her mum got us in because Jedda was having trouble doing as she was asked and coming when she was called. Her mum had been told “YOU NEED TO TRAIN THAT DOG”! Once we worked through all the information provided and after meeting Jedda and her mum it was clear to us that Jedda was suffering from anxiety. It wasn’t a training issue at all but a mental health issue. We were able to work with Jedda’s vet to describe her symptoms and behaviour and get her onto medication that will ease her anxiety. It hasn’t been very long but from the first to the last visit we can see a huge difference. It’s like meeting a different dog. Jedda’s mum says she can see Jedda starting to become her old self, a joyful little dog. Now that her anxiety is reducing she is able to think things through and follow directions from her mum💙💙💙

14/03/2023

The belief in “dominance in dogs” is something that I unfortunately spend some time every day explaining to clients is a myth and has no relevance to how their dog is behaving or their relationship with their dog. You would be surprised how many beliefs about dogs are based in this myth. It’s not real. Spread the word!!!😊🐶

The concept of dominance in dog training is a harmful myth that has been debunked by modern science. It is based on an outdated understanding of wolf behaviour that has been discredited by more recent research.

The idea that dogs are constantly seeking to establish dominance over their owners is not only incorrect but can lead to abusive training practices that harm the dog-human relationship.

It can also lead to ineffective training methods that rely on punishment and intimidation rather than positive reinforcement and clear communication.

By recognising that dogs are social animals that thrive on cooperation and positive reinforcement, we can build stronger bonds with them and create a more positive and effective training experience.

18/02/2023

Brooklyn🧡is such a love🧡🧡🧡She has such a bright sunny personality it’s so infectious. Bet you can’t look at this face without smiling 😃 ………… Sometimes our dogs get worried about things that happen in their lives even though we might think those things aren’t such a big deal. That’s exactly what happened for Brooklyn. Because she was worried she found it hard to cope with things that had previously been a normal part of her day. I can’t stress enough how important it is to work out why a dogs behaviour has suddenly changed. We were able to provide Brooklyn’s dads with some understanding about what might be happening for Brooklyn and give them strategies to support her and help her to feel safe. After a couple weeks of weeks she is feeling so much better and is back to her normal self. After all aren’t we all able to cope better if we feel safe!

14/02/2023

Alaska 💙You can’t even start to imagine how this gorgeous smile warms my heart.

Helping your worried reactive dog feel less worried and become less reactive is not a race. The aim is to help them to live their best lives. We have been working with Alaska and her parents for some time and gradually her world is becoming bigger and she is becoming less worried. Her parents are super committed to her living her best life and working at her pace. And just look at her she is certainly enjoying it. Happy families is our ultimate goal 💙💙💙
P. S. I don’t have a photo of it but her parent’s smiles are as big as hers 😃

09/02/2023

What is it that our dogs need and how do we make sure they get that so they can live their best lives.

I usually refrain from commenting on topical matters, especially when it comes to the recent one one on the oldest living dog. Most articles don’t capture the depth and nuance of these dogs’ lives. And more often than not, the story gets reduced to what the dog ate, making it seem like diet is t...

08/02/2023

This gorgeous big grin is from Mr Morris or Mo 💛to those who adore him

There’s a LOT!! of information out there about dogs and the best way to train them. The problem is that it’s often hard to work out if that info applies to your situation and how to apply it to your specific circumstances. MO’s pawrents were in exactly that situation. We’ve been working with them on building Mo’s ability to walk on a loose lead to make their walks more enjoyable for everyone. Everyone was just a little awesome in this weeks session. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

07/02/2023

This little muppet is Molly💕We had the absolute pleasure of working with Molly’s Mum even before Molly came home. This ensured she had everything set up and ready and had the best strategies in place to ease Molly into their new lives together. The most important thing you can do when bringing a new puppy into your house is to build a safe and trusting bond with them. This grows resilient, well balanced dogs. Feeling safe makes it possible for our puppies to learn about the world and the behaviours we require of them in it.

01/01/2023

Let’s start the new year with something very awesome. Wonderful Ashleigh and gorgeous Moxie are part of the Positive Pet Project. Look at the wonderful work they do!!!! We couldn’t be prouder!

We help to train and certify animal assisted therapy dog teams. If you’d let to know more get in contact.

29/12/2022

This gorgeous girl Nina 🖤 got a new home just before Christmas. She’s just a pup but is very tall already and can easily reach things on the kitchen bench. We explained the importance of teaching Nina where you want her to be when you’re cooking rather then waiting for her to start stealing things off the bench. We talked about the need to not leave tasty morsels on the bench unsupervised so Nina doesn’t get into a habit of helping herself. And we showed her mum how to train her to go and stay on her mat. Look how clever and cute she is! 🖤🖤🖤

23/12/2022

Wilbur🤎WHAT a PERSONALITY!!!😆 Wilbur is a rescue and in his first few months of living with his new family he was so well behaved there was very little need to teach him anything, he just fitted in. He now feels very comfortable with his family and so is just trying to work out the rules about what’s ok and what’s not. Rather than waiting for Wilbur to do the wrong thing and then correcting him we pointed out how easy it is to catch Wilbur doing the right thing like resting quietly on his bed. Or staying quiet when the neighbour dog is barking. We also implemented some management strategies to help set Wilbur up to do the behaviours we want rather than having to guess what we want. Like on lead at dinner time with a food activity rather than allowing him to jump up on the table and beg for food. Wilbur is very lucky to have found the perfect family and they are very lucky to have found the perfect dog 🤎🤎🤎

02/12/2022

This incredibly handsome young man is Willow🖤 He is a very friendly young man and plays great with other dogs but when walking with his pawrents would bark and lunge at other dogs and people. There are many reasons why dogs can be reactive. So it’s important to work out the reason for the behaviour first so you can support your dog through through the situation. Willow when not snoozing lives life at a fast speed 💨. We showed his pawrents how to slow everything down and help Willow to think things through so he can regulate his behaviour better. 🖤🖤🖤

14/11/2022

Training and changing behaviour hardly ever happens in a straight line. Sometimes it might seem like a set back but it’s all part of the process.

10/11/2022

We love this graphic. These things are all dog specific behaviours. Dogs need opportunities to be able to exhibit these behaviours.

04/10/2022

This handsome young man is Levi🤎 He and his mum were recently affected by the floods in Brisbane and had to move into temporary accommodation. Levi can get a bit worried about the world but is usually great with routine and in environments he knows. Because of the move his mum has got us out to help with ways to assist Levi to feel more comfortable. Just like humans our dogs can be affected by stressful events and changes to routines. Just like humans they can need a little support to get through the tough times. 🤎🤎🤎

28/09/2022

Great advice.

21/09/2022

Gorgeous little Hank🧡 has just arrived in his new home. His Mum’s hope is that once he’s grown he will work with her in animal assisted therapy. There are no guarantees of course. Puppies are living sentient beings and are born with their own innate personalities so it all depends on if Hank is interested in doing the work. Some dogs just don’t enjoy interacting with unknown people and being in an environment where things aren’t predictable. Not all personalities are suited to animal assisted therapy. It doesn’t mean they are less it just means that’s not the job for them.
All is looking good so far. Hank has adjusted well to his new environment and seems like a very laid back confident little dude 🧡😎

14/09/2022

Medication for mental health problems is just as important as medication for physical problems.

05/09/2022

This is Moxie and we have know her since she was a dream in her mum’s head. When Moxie finally arrived as a little pup we worked with her and her mum to help them build their relationship and develop their communication. What an amazing team they have grown into. ❤️ Moxie is now 4 and we still have the privilege of being able to support them in the work that they do.
We couldn’t be prouder of the work that Moxie and her mum do and more than that we couldn’t be prouder about how they do it. Moxie’s Mum understands the stresses that work places on a dog and puts in place strategies to ensure Moxie’s own mental health is looked after. Relationships, Communication and Teamwork it goes both ways 😊❤️🐶

September is Therapy Dog Awareness Month, so we'd like you to meet Moxie, a special furry, four-legged 🐶 at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Moxie began her career as a therapy dog in February this year and joined the canine assisted therapy program in the mental health unit in May. She visits every week for one-on-one therapy sessions with young people, as well as a group walk along South Bank or Kangaroo Point to help patients on their journey to recovery. Moxie's favourite part of the job is the treats she gets for being such a good doggo! (It's a vital part of the 'treat'-ment plan 😉). Of course, she's quite fond of all the pats and cuddles, too. Thank you, Moxie!
The Positive Pet Project

28/08/2022

Gorgeous little Otis 🤎has an exuberance and a lust for life that is unsurpassed and We Just LOVE IT! 😍 Nothing quite like feeling your the only person in the world who matters when you arrive at someone’s home❤️. His pawrents wanted to make sure the type of training we do wouldn’t change Otis’ personality but they do need him to be a bit better at following direction when they are out and about at the off lead area. Otis has channeled all that enthusiasm into his training. He loves it. Training is just more games he can play with his pawrents. He’s already much better at focusing on what his pawrents ask and they make sure Otis gets the opportunity to do the things he loves to do with out being directed and managed all the time. 🤎❤️

26/08/2022

This very dapper young man is Alfie 💛
Alfie is very calm and laid back. He absolutely loves people. He and his mum are booked in for their assessment in September to become a Delta Therapy Dogs Team. Alfie’s mum wanted to check that they could do all the behaviours that are required for the assessment so she booked in a session with us to make sure they were on the right track. We have no doubt that Alfie and his mum will ace their assessment ⭐️.
Pop a 🐶❤️ in the comments if you love the work that volunteers do with their dogs visiting people.

09/08/2022

Why is your dog doing this behaviour?

This is the most important thing about behaviours that you might consider a problem. To achieve long lasting change and for you and your dog to live your happiest lives together we need to work out what needs your dog is expressing and how to meet those needs.

31/07/2022

This adorable young man is Hector 💙 Hector can get worried about a few things so we have been working with Hector’s family and his vet to help them understand Hector’s behaviour a little better. Behaviour is how we all express our emotions. Understanding our dogs behaviour is the best way to help them live their fullest life. 💙

28/07/2022

Not all tail wags mean your dog is happy. This great little video shows a happy dog 🐶 tail wag.

15/07/2022

We are so pleased with the progress John and Elvis have made with their loose lead walking. LOOK AT THEM GO!!! All those distractions. Of course we didn’t start there. A low distraction environment is always best for teaching new behaviours. Building relationship is the most important thing you will ever do with your dog.

Oh and yes we know the lead is hanging in the wrong spot so we sorted this by getting a harness that has a back attachment to keep the lead out of the way.